Several student-athletes earn All-American honors at D-II national track and field competition

Wayne State College junior thrower Sara Wells earned All-American honors Saturday night with a second place finish in the shot put on the final day. It’s the second outdoor All-American honor for Wells, who was fifth in the discus last season, and it marks her third All-American shot put honor after placing sixth in the event the last two indoor seasons. Wells, from Albion, recorded her top throw of 49′ 9 3/4″ during the finals on her second throw.

Wayne senior Carly Fehringer was third in the hammer throw Thursday. Fehringer, a senior from Wayne, held the lead entering finals with a top mark of 198′ 11″ in prelims, but champion Heavin Warner of Central Missouri and runner up Cynthia Witt of Ashland each recorded better marks in the finals to slide Fehringer into the third spot.

Chadron State College senior Alyssa Norton finished seventh in the discus throw to earn her first All-American honors. Her best throw measured 153 feet, 5 inches at the NCAA Division II National Track and Field Championships this past weekend. This was the fourth year in a row that Norton has qualified for nationals in the discus, but the first time she’s reached the finals. She’s owns the school record of 158-9 and won the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference championship in 2011, 2013 and this year. Norton also was the Class C state champion in the discus as a senior at Gordon-Rushville in 2009.

Nebraska-Kearney senior Michael Thalken had a career-best toss in the shot put to earn All-American honors Saturday at the NCAA Division II Championships in Allendale, MI. Thalken, from Ogallala, had efforts of 54-5.50 and 54-4.50 in his first two attempts. His third heave was his best, going 59-0. Thalken finished fifth in a field of 19.